West Michigan Symphony Introduces Children’s Musical Story Time Program
Muskegon, Michigan, January 23, 2014 – The West Michigan Symphony has announced a children’s musical story time program with performances based on three beloved children’s books.
Using the books written by Doreen Cronin, the Symphony will engage children, ages 3-7, through an event that allows them to meet the musicians and learn new music skills through fun and interactive skits. Featured stories include Click Clack Moo, Giggle Giggle Quack and Dooby Dooby Moo.
Phil Popham, WMS principal English horn, has written music for each of the three books that will be performed by eight WMS musicians acting as farm animals. The narration was written by Karen Vander Zanden, WMS education director, and Nancy Ireland, Spring Lake schools music educator. A narrator will guide the audience through the program as Popham keeps the music moving as each story is read.
“Our vision for this innovative musical story time program is to introduce young children to the people, instruments and music that make up the West Michigan Symphony,” Vander Zanden said. “An educational component or skit provides children with time to interact with the musicians as they learn a new music concept.
“In Click Clack Moosic, for example, children will learn about musical dynamics and how they’re demonstrated. In Giggle Giggle Quack, children will learn about tempo, how the speed of the music can change and how it makes us feel inside. And finally in the third program, Dooby Dooby Moo, children learn about pitch and are asked to sing along with the narrator in a variety of pitches and sequences of melodies.”
Performances will be held on Saturday’s at the The Block, 2nd floor, 360 W. Western Ave. Each performance will start at 10:30 a.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. Programs will be held:
• Feb. 8, Click Clack Moosic
• March 8, Giggle Giggle Quack
• April 19, Dooby Dooby Moo
Every program finishes with “moo” milk (Organic Valley chocolate milk), “quackers” (cookies) and time to take pictures in front of the Click Clack “moosic” barn or get autographs from the WMS staff.
Tickets are available as a series or may be purchased individually for each story time event. Single tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 13 and under. Series tickets are $26 for adults and $11 for children. Children under 3 are free. Seating is limited to 150 and tickets can be purchased at the West Michigan Symphony ticket office: 231.726.3231 ext. 223 or in person at 360 W. Western Ave. in Muskegon.
The long-range vision of the program is to take the program to local schools, community center and libraries and to engage children and their families in fun, interactive music events in our communities.
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